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Looking for money. © Symbolic image: Panthermedia/Andriy Popov
In a sometimes heated discussion at the start of the most recent budget discussions, different views clashed as to how the theater could generate more income.
Kempten – “Every cut has an impact on the theater. We are just above the financing requirement. With the cuts in the budget, the theater can no longer be operated. We have already increased the rental costs for external parties,” said Silvia Armbruster, the artistic director of the Theater in Kempten.
The Free Voters repeatedly called for the Cultural Committee’s report to be implemented. There was talk of a subsidy of 1,495,000 euros for the theater’s own operation (in the case of the theater, a distinction must be made between the in-house operation and the Theater Kempten gGmbH for the artistic operation). And this almost 1.5 million euros included 725,450 euros for Theater Kempten gGmbH.
150,000 euros from the Office of Finance’s resources is only possible once
The company now receives 1,645,000 euros for 2025, including the additional 150,000 euros granted by Kempten Mayor Thomas Kiechle, which does not come from leftover household expenses, but from the city treasury budget. These 150,000 euros are a one-time opportunity and not possible for subsequent years, explained Alexander Mair from the Finance Office. Theater gGmbH will now receive 772,050 euros, i.e. 47,600 euros more than what was presented to the cultural committee.
But where can the necessary money come from in 2026 and the following years? Mayor Thomas Kiechle commissioned the administration to examine whether there were other ways to provide additional funds.
Demand to leave the regional theater association
Annette Hauser-Felberbaum (FW/ÜP) showed great understanding for the petition in favor of the theater, in which around 8,000 people took part. “Mrs Armbruster cannot drive on sight, she needs security for the next few years too. 15 percent savings are too much.” Hauser-Felberbaum called on the mayor to withdraw from the Schwaben regional theater association because the statutes were no longer up to date. You should generate funds. There is a call for donations from the support association. “The people who signed the petition should contribute ten or 20 euros.”
For Thomas Hartmann (Greens), theater operations must not be scaled down to such an extent that the theater dies. “We need to make more use of the topic of sponsorship.” A clear commitment to theater was required.
“We have to draw up medium-term budget planning to give the theater security,” says Andreas Kibler (FW/ÜP). For city treasurer Matthias Haugg, it makes no sense to write “any” numbers into the budget, as that would bring nothing to the budget.
A sometimes personal dispute arose between the Mayor and Alexander Hold (FW/ÜP). “Because we created the financial resources, the theater was able to develop like it did. It will have to make do with fewer resources in the future. The theater has made great developments in the last ten years. Now we have to take a step down because the budget doesn’t allow anything else,” said Kiechle, wondering whether the wrong impression has been created that the city can do everything. “It would be laughable if the company wasn’t able to raise 15 percent of the funds,” said the city boss.
The mayor clearly rejected the idea of leaving the state theater: “It is not okay that we, as the second largest city in Swabia, are leaving the association.” As he reported, discussions are currently taking place about changing the statutes.
For Hold, “fine words” do not provide planning security for the following years. From 2026 there would only be 1.2 million euros in the budget. In his opinion, more money should be put into it. He described such a political declaration of intent as “destructive”. In Hold’s opinion, sponsorship only works selectively. Citizens participate through entrance fees and also pay taxes, he said.
Comment by Helmut Hitscherich
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